Stephen A Smith: Chris Paul says Lebron wants to be in LA (+ stuff on PG)

If you ever thought the Rockets were the favorites for James or George, you didn't have realistic expectations.

First, George was never going to the Rockets. We don't match up well from an assets perspective to trade for him, and OKC has no desire to make us better. Further, George has said he has a desire to play in LA or remain in OKC. It just wasn't ever going to happen.

As for LeBron, we were/are in a position where we cannot sign him straight up. As a result, we would need him to pick up his option AND give us enough time to orchestrate a trade of assets to get James here. It was a long shot, and would require James to forego meeting with teams and simply be dead set on signing here.

The Rockets are going to be lucky to keep their own players come opening night. The hope is that at some point Anderson and perhaps Gordon can be moved for another player under a long contract that the Rockets like better or fit better. There is the possibility that the Rockets deal Anderson for someone like Batum or Gallinari or Bazemore. That is to say one teams problem is dealt for another. The other hope is that players on long term deals like Love, Aldridge, Milsap, Conley or Porter become available and the Rockets can move Anderson AND draft picks for one of them.

It is just the reality of the situation.

 

Na it won't even if we keep core n add guys that actually will do things we Championship contenders. The rockets as is the second best maybe 3rd team in the nba. Even with lbj in l.a. we need guys not name Anderson joe Johnson n black.

 

Thank u. Bring sense to this trend.

 

Paul George is from Palmdale, just north of L.A. (according to basketball-reference.com)

So the nice country life in OKC can be found in an L.A. move. Fishing and such.

Interesting to see what he chooses. At 28 years of age, PG can be up for an extension at age 32 w/L.A.....or 33 w/OKC.

 

If what they say about PG13 is true then he needs to learn how to pick his friends. He ain't going nowhere with Wussa and OKC.

 

At first he didn’t, but he changed his tone after things started rolling

 

I don't have any reason to doubt SAS is connected with players. To me, the only weird part of this report is Lebron wanting to go to LA even without a second all star caliber player. If that's the case, winning was never a priority. That sure doesn't align with his brand, but anything is possible.

 

Imagine people in this forum trying to convince themselves LeBron is coming to HOU or even wants to come here.

 

as I mentioned in another thread I don't necessarily disagree with SAS in that LeBron wants to go to LA over Houston - I do disagree that anyone in Chris Paul's camp is leaking information such as that unless its a smoke screen. Paul is too close to LeBron to do anything to hurt his friend's plans like that. Likewise if Paul does share any information to anyone in his camp it would be people he trusts fully not to leak anything...again unless its done on purpose to serve a different purpose.

 

Wade said it was a family decision.

 

Which is fine, but that's at real odds with his claim that contending for a championship is still the focus. With PG, maaaaaaybe. But alone? Odd.

 

It still can go either way. Media will be saying Lebron to OKC tomorrow.

 

The only way in hell the Cavs will work with us on a LBJ trade, is if they're absolutely convinced that LBJ is leaving to go to LA this summer and not coming back under any circumstances.

 

He does need to have the narrative out there that he will leave cleveland in order to get cleveland to cut their losses and co operate on trades but idk man.

Im starting to think lerbon in htown is pretty unlikely. Dont think dan gilbert wants to pay tons of luxury tax with no lebron. We’ll see.

 

Good, now we can pay CP3 and Capela the max meanwhile losing Ariza and Luc to the salary cap.

Hope Clint becomes an All-Star next year and everyone stays healthy for the playoffs, or we're screwed.

Forgot to mention, we probably still need to win 60+ games for home court advantage. Clearly we need it against the Warriors or Lebron's next superteam.

 

lucky to keep paul/capela, or are we just talking ariza?

 

I respect that from LeBron/CP3 much more than stringing Rockets fans along like Melo did that one year.

That way Houston fans don’t feel like their hearts were ripped out. Hope for a chance in LeBron, but
don’t put everything you got emotionally into it. No suicide watch for my Rockets brethren (& sisters).....please.

 

so completely rule out houston for lebron?

 

Patience. All will be revealed within the next three weeks.

 

@Clutch doesn't yell in his podcasts
cause he knows the people who listen really listen